Thirty Cats Found in Overheating Van in Downtown Fargo

It took police two hours to get them out

FARGO, N.D. — It was a tough task for Fargo Police to get 30 cats out of an overheating van in downtown Fargo Thursday afternoon.

“The cats were panting, which is a terrible sign when it comes to cats. When cats pant they are clearly in distress. We did remove them for their own safety,” Ofc. LaVerne Aventi with the Fargo Police Department said.

Authorities say it took them two hours to get all the animals out, and they are all now safe.

“It was not exactly a pleasant two hour endeavor,” Aventi said.

Homeward Animal Shelter says they do hear about people leaving pets in cars occasionally, but nothing to this degree.

“Hoarding is very stressful on the cats. Not only physically because they’re usually cramped in a smaller area, they tend to get ill because of the cramped conditions, it’s very unsanitary,” operations director Heather Clyde said.

A report has been forwarded to the state’s attorney’s office to decide if charges will be filed against the woman who left them there.

There have been calls about her leaving animals in distress before.

“It was not a healthy environment not only for the cats but for humans as well,” Aventi said.

Clyde says if you do see animals in an overheating car, it’s best to call police and have them take care of it.

The situation was not only physically distressing for the cats, but can also affect them emotionally in the long run.

“Mentally, the animals will always suffer lifelong, most hoarding cats will always be somewhat shy and fearful, some of the younger cats can be rehabilitated and come out of that but a lot of the adult cats that have grown up in that situation, they’re always going to be slightly fearful of new people,” Clyde said.

The cats found in the van were taken to a local animal shelter. The woman was given a citation.

Homeward also says spaying and neutering pets is encouraged to make sure the number of animals don’t keep multiplying.